hals

I had this little bit of cashmere/silk sitting around from a sample pack from colourmart.com. I knew I could make something little out if it. At first I tried a headband/earwarmer for a little head, but I didn't like it too much. I ripped it out and started anew after I finished my pomatomus mits. I loved the pattern, so I adapted it to a "hals". This is a piece of clothing that is very popular for Norwegian children, but I didn't see so much in the States (even Alaska). It's great though, like a turtleneck without the sleeves or body, keeps the neck warm and prevents a draft going down the back. I used 10 repeats of the pattern on 2.75 mm needles. After one vertical repeat in the round, I split it and continued one more vertical repeat for the front and one for the back, then about 3 cm of twisted ribbing.

What a Swell Hat

This was just a little quick project (finished in one night of movies) for a gift. Unfortunately the recipient's head is probably  a little bigger than my four-year-old's. It's based on Knitty's Swell, but obviously there's no wave motif and it's seed stitch. One of my favorites. The yarn is from handpaintedyarn.com in the hot chocolate colorway.

p0matømUs

Mitts modified from Cookie A.'s Pomatomus. Not my idea. Koigu KPPPM in some color or other. I really do love this pattern. As usual, there are things I would change after seeing the product. Mine ended up too large. I did want them to be long, but they are too wide really. I wish they were more hugging. Maybe taking out one of the pattern sections (there are 6) would be enough. I started at the elbow with 2.25 mm needles and switched to 2 mm for the wrist and hand. This did bring in the width a bit, but not enough really. I also decreased right before the final ribbing section. And I took the easy way out and didn't knit individual fingers.

Wind Godly

This is a modified version of Eunny's Anemoi Mittens. Really less lovely than Eunny's original, but they are infused with love so I hope that will make up for the homeliness. They are for my grandma for Christmas. I actually started them back in March. They got up to 90% done quickly, but a mistake ended in the 2nd mitten being a few rows longer than the other. Of course I didn't notice this until I casted off (sort of a bitch because you have to turn the mitten inside out and then do a 3-needle bind off without missing any of the stitches which are curling inward like crazy). Fast forward 8 months and I pulled out the offending .5 cm and finished it right.

Done and Gone

It's finished -- the knitting, and the giving.

sh33pz

We visited a farm last month -- the sheep bells were mesmerizing.

Pillaging

Many kind people conspired behind my back for many months, plotting, and my own husband embezzeled money through his "lunch budget" to give me a very special birthday. My husband finally broke down and told me the plan a week before because he was afraid I would agree to work extra hours at my new job that would conflict with his plans.

As vikings of old, we sailed the salty southern sea to trade with and pillage from the lands of the south.

We took an overnight cruise to Copenhagen and spent 1.5 days there. The first day went like this: breakfast on the boat, walking and shopping in the center, pastries around 11, visit a yarn store, check in at the crazy hotel, visit another yarn store, pizza at an outdoor cafe, more shopping, brewery tour and beer tasting (yes I enjoyed this), dinner at a very nice organic restaurant at the old port, and a leisurely late night stroll home.

The highlight was the second yarn store. I can't believe I didn't take a business card or note the name -- maybe I can find the receipt later. It had a large array of beautiful Danish yarn -- it's the brown and pink hanks below the Noro in that bag.

just a part of the crazy hotel room